Switch box



Sept. 8,1925. '7 7 155 2911 W G. Hbcaiuoim SWITCH BOX Filed May 19. 1923 INVENIUK GcgiH. Calhoun ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. CALHOUN, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T SAMUEL DAVEY, 0F

. MANSFIELD, OHIO.

SWITCH BOX.

Application filed May 19, 1923. Serial No. 640,074.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known'that Gnonon H. CALHOUN,

- a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Mansfield, in the county of Rich land and State of Ohio,has invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Switch Box, of which the followingis a specification. 1

This. invention relates to a switch box or the like usedfor installation in a building wired for an electric light. system and is adapted to be installed or mounted in the wall or any art of the structure of a new building or t e like to receive and support a switch outlet or junction box. v

The objects of the invention are to pro vide adjustable means to attach the boxes to the structure of a building or the like; to

support and maintain said boxes in'alined or angular relation to the supporting structure; and to provide means of attachingand supporting the boxes by means that can be adjustably'applied to either side or front of the box for supporting same.

A further object is to provide a supporting plate that can be located for attachment in such a position on the box so as to afford a gage or guide to measure or indicate the space required for the lath and plaster thereby positioning the front of. .the box, substantially flush with the face of the wall.

These and other objects are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a top view of the switch box showing the supporting bracket adapted to be attached to auxiliary horizontal members other than lath which'are in turn secured to vertical supports such as studs or the like, as shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the switch box showing the means of supporting the switch box from the lath, when the switch box is used for installation in an old building.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the switch box showing a supporting bracket positioned for attachment to a vertical member from one side of the switch box.

Fig. 4 is a similar View to Fig. 3 showing a top view of the switch box support: ing bracket positioned for attachment to a vertical member from the opposite side of the switch box than shown in Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and6 show front elevations of switch boxes showing same supported by the supporting brackets upon the vertical members or studs A and B and positioned gn the right and left sides of the switch Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing a switch box supported from auxiliary horizontally disposed wall or stud members with the supporting bracket spaced from the front of the switch box to permit of the lath and plaster being applied on a plane or flush with th plaster.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the sup: I porting bracket.

The application of the invention is shown in the drawing as applied to a conventional type of switch, outlet, junction box or the like, which is constructed and assembled as follows.

The switch box as shown comprises side walls 1 and 2, top and bottom walls 3 and 4, and a rear wall 5, preferably with. inclined corners 6 and 7. The corner members 6 and 7 are provided with knock out plugs 8 and 9- for the passag of electric wires or the like into and from the box. One of the side walls is preferably provided with a knock out plug 10 and both side walls are also provided with key hole apertures 11 for the usual purposes. The top and bottom walls 3 and 4 ar preferably formed with integral frictional ing a frictional face plate 14 to cover the box. The side walls may be of such size as to extend above and below the top and bottom walls if desired as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, or flush or om a plane with the top and bottom walls as shown in Figs.4 and 5.

The invention ispreferably applied and connected tothe top and bottom of each switch box as descrlbed, through the medium of a screw 15 or the like. The supporting plate comprising the invention consists as an entirety of albracket .16 having one end'l'? bentup approximately at right angles to the body portion and which is perforated at 18 and 19 to provide means of attaching same to a supporting member.

cars 12 and 13 to provide means for attach- The supporting bracket is also perforated 195 as shown'at 20 to provide means of permit ting the flange of the supporting bracket to clear the ears 12 and 13 when it is desired to position the supporting bracket flush with the front of the box. It. also provides means of permitting the body portion of the supporting plate to be inserted underneath and removed from. underneath the head of thescrew 15. Slots 21 and 22 are provided in the plates and arranged to intersect and cross each other at right angles. When it is desired to install the box in a new building and support same from aux .iliary horizontalmembers or the like 23 and 24, the supporting bracket 16 is positioned on the top and bottom of the box shown in Fig. 1 to leave substantially of an inchbetween the flange 17 of the supporting bracket and the front of the box, thereby roviding space to apply lath and plaster ush in front of the box and flush therewith. In applying the box for installation in an old building the supporting bracket is moved to osition flush with the front of the box ass iown-i'n Fig. 2 and the supporting bracket is attached to the old lath in the building as shown at 25.

- In Figs. 3 and 4the supporting bracket is shown in full linesv positioned on opposite sides of the box for attachment to vertical members A and B positioned on either side of the box as desired and in position to leave s'ufiicient room for the lath and plaster to be applied in the space indicated at C to bring same flush with the front of the switch box.

When it is desired to reverse the position ofthe supporting bracket (as shown in Fig. 3) and to attach same to a vertical member on the opposite side of the box, the supporting bracket is swung on the shank of the screw 15 around the end of the slot 26 to the opposite side .in the direction indicated by the arrow and dotted circular line.

When it is desired to reverse the position of the supporting bracket (as shown in Fig. 4) in the opposite side the supporting bracket is swung around the end of the slot 27 in the opposite direction as indicated by the arrow and dotted line in Fig. 4. When the supporting bracket is swung in either direction to change its position from one side to the other it can'be stopped at a half turn and the supporting bracket moved to the opposite end ofthe slot for swinging in the opposite direction. This locates the supporting bracket in a position to swing in the direction desired and the supporting bracket will be positioned substantially of an inch from the front of the switch box to guide and indicate the exact'position of the supporting bracket for attachment to the supporting member and leave room for applying the lath and plaster flush with the front of the box.

The slots are adapted to engage the shank of the screw 15. One end of the slot' 21 is indicated by reference numeral 28. The

head of the screw 15 when tightened con- .ta'cts with supporting bracket and holds same at any position of the various adjustments. Screws 29 and 30 threadably engage the ears 12 and 13 and hold the face plate 14 in contact with the wall when the installation is finished.

.When the screw 15 is loosened the supporting bracket may be slipped out from under the head of the screw and reversed in position for attaching to either one of the vertical side members or removed for attaching in the same manner to the auxiliary horizontal members or lath as desired.

Attention iscalled to the fact that the box can be used if desired as a single unit or a plurality of the boxes can be built up in a gang from either side to meet all of the re quirements and conditions of installation.

Attention is further called to the fact that the adjustment of the supporting bracket to either side or front of the switch box can be made, and the bracket held in any of the adjusted positions through the manipulation of one screw in association with the cross intersecting slots formed in the plate.

Attention is further called to the fact that the supporting bracket constructed as described to be used for side attachment to fasten the box to vertical members or the like, can be adjusted with relation thereto laterally and forward and back with respect to the front of the switch box, thereby making the supporting bracket interchangeable and with a universal adjustment.

It is of course, obvious that duplicate supporting brackets are preferably used on the top and bottom of the switch box as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing.

. Immaterial changes in the form and construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts ofboxes may be made without departing fromthe principle or spirit of the invention.

Attention is called to the fact that the supporting bracket is shown in the drawing located in four different positions with respelct to the switch box. See Figs. 1, 2, 3 an 4.

" It will further be noted that the Supporting brackets can be positioned and adjusted in angular relation with respect to the switch box if desired.

I claim:

1. In combination with an outlet box, a supporting member provided with cross intersecting slots formed contiguous with an opening in said supporting member and having apertures provided therein, whereby screws or the like can be inserted therein to support the bracket from an auxiliary support and a unit means engaging the slots in the bracket and connected to the outlet box to permit adjustment thereof laterally and longitudinally. I

2. The combination with-an outlet box, of a supporting member adapted for connectioiiwith a fixture and formed with crossing slots, one of said slots merging into a intersecting slots of appreciable. lengths, and a pin carried by the boX- and adapted for free ranging of said slots to dispose the box and supporting member indifferent relative positions. 7

' 3. The combination with an outlet box, of a supporting bracket having cross intersectrelatively larger opening, and a screw carried by the box with a body capable of sliding in said slots and a head larger than the slots and smaller than said opening.

4. The combination with an outlet box, of a supporting bracket and a single means whereby the bracket may be fixed with relation to the box, said bracket being formed with means to permit slidable cooperation between the bracket and the fixing'means in any one of several angularly-related directions.

5. The combination with an outlet box, of a supporting bracket formed with two crossing right-angled slots, a'screw cooperating with the box and slidable in said slots, and means whereby the screw when in any position in either of said slots may be operated to relatively fix the box and bracket.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GEORGE H. CALHOUN. 

